Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 183 The Emperor Will Launch an Eastern Expedition to Goguryeo Next Year

In late July, the autumn scenery is bright and beautiful.

In the Wude Hall, Ma Zhou and Li Anyan stood beside Li Chengqian's bed.

Li Anyan excitedly bowed to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Highness, this year, the three mu of land outside the north gate has yielded seven dan of grain. Compared to other fertile farms, the yield is 50% higher. 50%!"

"Although the harvest is good this year, the yield per mu is only two dan, which is unique in the north." Ma Zhou bowed and said, "I have already reported to Your Majesty by horseback. There are plagues everywhere this year. Your Majesty is in great need of some good news."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly and said, "That's right. This year, the plague broke out in five states at the same time, which is rare in the world. It's time to give Father some relief."

"Your Majesty's return to Chang'an may be a little later this year." Ma Zhou paused and explained, "Your Majesty has decided to go to Dingzhou."

Li Chengqian nodded slowly and said, "I remember that Yang Guang also chose Dingzhou back then, right?"

"Yes!" Ma Zhou was very cautious and said only one word.

When Yang Guang conquered Goguryeo, he chose Dingzhou as the hub for transporting grain and fodder.

Now the emperor is marching eastward to Liaodong and his choice is Dingzhou.

The emperor's northern tour to Dingzhou means that the emperor will launch an eastern expedition next year.

Li Chengqian changed the subject and said, "By the way, how was Qizhou's autumn harvest this year? If the King of Qi doesn't do his job well today, I will have to impeach him and transfer him back to Chang'an."

This was done after Li Chengqian and Ma Zhou discussed it together at the beginning of the year.

Now Ma Zhou is the Prince's Junior Secretary, and whatever Li Chengqian wants to do, Ma Zhou is indispensable.

Ma Zhou smiled and said, "Your Highness's method of exerting pressure is very effective. Although the specific autumn harvest figures for Qizhou have not yet been reported, this year, there have been very few conflicts between Qizhou's Chief Clerk Yin Hongzhi and Qi Wang's Chief Clerk Quan Wanji. They are both working hard to achieve the goals set by Your Highness... After all, although it was proposed by Your Highness and me, it was the will of His Majesty."

"I hope they can do the same next year. That way, I won't have to worry about impeaching the King of Qi. After all, Concubine De is still watching from the harem." Li Chengqian smiled, then sighed softly, "It's pitiful how loving parents are. At the beginning of the year, I even wrote a letter to the King of Qi urging him to correct his mistakes, but I don't know if it worked."

"Your Majesty has already sent the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue to inspect various places throughout the country. I believe that the matter in Qizhou will soon have a result." Ma Zhou nodded seriously.

"I hope so." Li Chengqian raised his head and said, "By the way, I heard that Prime Minister Wei is feeling much better recently?"

"Yes!" Li Anyan interrupted, saying, "I went to see Prime Minister Wei a few days ago, and Prime Minister Wei was indeed..."

"Thump thump thump..." A burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, and then Gao Zhenxing, the prince's messenger, walked in with a serious expression.

Outsiders were generally not allowed to enter the Wude Hall easily. Even Ma Zhou and Li Anyan only came once every few days to report state affairs to Li Chengqian, the regent prince.

But Gao Zhenxing's identity was more special. He was not only the Prince's attendant in Li Chengqian's Eastern Palace, but also the son of Shen Guogong Gao Shilian and the cousin of the Queen. This brought him a lot of convenience in his actions.

……

"Your Highness!" Gao Zhenxing stood at the palace gate and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Highness, something has happened. Duke Bao has passed away."

Before Li Chengqian could react, Ma Zhou couldn't help but exclaim, "What?"

Duan Zhixuan, Duke of Baoguo, General of the Right Guard, was a hero in the Taiyuan Uprising and the Xuanwu Gate Incident. He also participated in the conquests of the Turks and Tuyuhun.

"Didn't you say before that your health was improving?" Li Chengqian asked solemnly.

"He was fine yesterday, but who knew he wouldn't wake up this morning." Gao Zhenxing bowed and said, "Father... The Right Prime Minister has already rushed over, Your Highness..."

"Even if I wanted to go, I can't!" Li Chengqian looked up at Ma Zhou and said, "Ma Qing, please go on my behalf. No, everyone in the Eastern Palace should go and offer their condolences."

"That's right." Ma Zhou nodded and said, "Your Majesty may be back from Luoyang soon."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded slightly and said, "Go ahead and express your condolences for me."

"Yes!" Ma Zhou immediately bowed, then turned around and left quickly. As soon as he walked out of the palace gate, he heard Li Chengqian calling Li Anyan, but he didn't care.

Only Li Chengqian and Li Anyan, who walked back from the door, were left in the hall.

Li Chengqian said solemnly, "Three things, start now and do them immediately."

"Yes!" Li Anyan suddenly became solemn.

"First, when Tongzhou Governor Li Xiyu was in Liangzhou, he beat Fanhe Cheng Liu Wu to death with a cane out of personal vengeance." Li Chengqian looked at Li Anyan and said, "Find an imperial censor who has no connection with us, reveal this matter to him, and then have him impeach Li Xiyu."

After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said, "Don't go fast, don't go slow, just walk normally."

"Yes!" Li Anyan didn't know what Li Chengqian was planning, but he knew that now was not the time to ask more questions.

"The second thing is that Yang Zhen, the Minister of Agriculture, was suspected of corruption this year, so I asked Li Yifu, the Imperial Censor, to write a letter to impeach him." Li Chengqian explained again.

"Here!"

"The third thing." Li Chengqian looked up and said, "From now on, send someone to keep an eye on Zhang Yi, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Let's use the old method. Don't keep a close eye on him. First, determine where he frequently comes and goes. Then, assign someone to monitor him at a fixed location. The others can follow him from a distance. We don't have to worry about losing him; we can just catch up later."

"Yes!"

"It will take about half a year to find out all of Zhang Xi's details." Li Chengqian paused for a moment, then said seriously: "Don't be anxious. It's better not to find out anything than to let him realize that we are watching him." "Yes!" Li Anyan immediately bowed.

"Go." Li Chengqian waved his hand, and Li Anyan immediately turned around and left quickly.

Watching his leaving back, Li Chengqian smiled gently, then picked up the memorial on the table and began to read it.

It records the story of the Tubo King Songtsen bringing Princess Wencheng back to the Tubo capital of Lhasa for marriage.

There are also some records about Tuyuhun, Anxi, Western Turks, and Xueyantuo.

Li Chengqian looked towards the east and shook his head slightly.

It’s a pity that the emperor refused to let him participate in Goguryeo’s affairs.

……

As the sun set, Su Shu finished feeding Li Chengqian the bone soup in her hand, and then said, "My father returned to the capital today. He did not enter the palace, but went directly to the residence of the Duke of Baoguo to attend the funeral. Afterwards, he visited the Duke of Weiguo, the Duke of Zhengguo, and the Duke of Yingguo."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "There are many old ministers in the court who have been lying on their sickbeds in recent years. The Duke of Wei is fine, but the Duke of Zheng and the Duke of Ying are both suffering."

"Yes!" Su Shu sighed lightly. Li Jing was fine, but Wei Zheng and Yuwen Shiji were not in good health.

"Let's find a time to have the doctors at the Eastern Palace check on the officials." Li Chengqian looked up and said, "After Lord Ouyang passed away last year, the old officials in the Eastern Palace have become increasingly withered."

Not to mention old ministers like Li Gang and Wang Gui, Ouyang Xun also passed away due to illness at the end of last year.

However, Ouyang Xun was already 85 years old, so it could be considered a happy death.

Ouyang Xun served as the Prince's Night Watch Commander under Li Chengqian, although not for long, but he was still an important official in the Eastern Palace.

"By the way, Yu Changshi's mourning period has ended. He came to the Eastern Palace two days ago, but he couldn't come to the Wude Hall." Su Shu thought of Yu Zhining and said quickly.

"The only position left to the Chief Secretary now is the Crown Prince's Left Assistant." Li Chengqian pondered for a moment and said, "If nothing unexpected happens, Father will allow him to serve in the court. However, this will not be done overnight. The court is currently overwhelmed with affairs, and I'm afraid Father won't have the energy to take care of other matters."

"Yeah!" Su Shu nodded.

Yu Zhining was the Yinqing Guanglu Doctor and the Prince's Left Secretary. If he were transferred to the court, he would at least hold a third-rank position, or even higher.

But the emperor has the final say on any specific position.

In his previous life, because of Li Chengqian, Yu Zhining was taken away and returned home before the mourning period was over. Because of Li Chengqian, he had always been the prince's left assistant.

But in this life, Ma Zhou entered the Eastern Palace, and it would be a bit of a waste for Yu Zhining to stay in the Eastern Palace.

If it were Yu Zhining, he would definitely be transferred to the court.

It’s just hard to say which position Yu Zhining will be transferred to.

If time is slowed down a little, by next year, Zhang Liang, the Minister of Works, will be transferred to be the Governor of Luozhou, and the position of Minister of Works will be vacant.

But after all, that was the position of the Minister of Six Ministries, the emperor would not give it to him.

Then the only one left is the Yellow Gate Minister.

The Menxia Province is now supported only by Liu Li. It would be normal for the emperor to transfer someone to be the Huangmen Shilang.

But Yu Zhining...

It’s hard to say!

Retracting his thoughts, Li Chengqian looked at Su Shu and asked in a low voice, "How is Concubine Zheng doing now?"

"She's eight months pregnant and should be giving birth in September." Su Shu rolled her eyes at Li Chengqian and said, "Your Highness, as the father, won't be able to be with the child even after he's born."

"It's alright, Father is back." Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "If this child can be born safely, you and I can rest assured."

"Your Highness, are you talking about the Prince of Wei?" Su Shu frowned and said, "It's a bit strange that the Prince of Wei and his wife didn't come back from Luoyang with us."

"Don't worry about Qingque." Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "I'm talking about the Zheng family of Xingyang. In the Hedong area, the Zheng family of Xingyang, the Cui family of Boling, and the Lu family of Fanyang have always been closely related by marriage. With this child, they will be more supportive of the Eastern Palace... At the very least, no one from them will get close to Qingque."

Su Shu nodded slowly, then suddenly looked up and said, "Your Highness, are you talking about Prime Minister Fang? The wife of the Duke of Liang is from the Fanyang Lu family."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "If you have time, please have someone send some supplements to Gaoyang and Chengyang's residences. They've been married for over a year, so why haven't they made any progress yet?"

"My concubine understands."

……

In early August, the emperor ordered Yan Liben to rebuild the Lingyan Pavilion.

(End of this chapter)